1. Field of the Invention
The present invention is generally concerned with packaging groups of sundry articles and in particular elongate particles such as binding ties, and is more particularly directed to the case where the package used comprises a boat-shaped body having one open side, an outwardly projecting rim on the open side and a peel-off film closing the open side attached to the rim, in practice by its periphery.
2. Description of the Prior Art
In order to open a package of this kind and thus to gain access to its contents, it is sufficient to exert sufficient traction on the peel-off film, more specifically on a corner or tab thereof left free for this purpose, to peel it off.
At present the package is usually opened completely, by removal of the peel-off film.
This is specifically the case when the entire peel-off film is removed.
It is also the case, however, when, as described in French Pat. No. 1 580 772, the peel-off film has a plurality of tabs or lugs disposed side by side and each corresponding to a strip; this is to facilitate removal of the peel-off film, the objective remaining complete removal of the peel-off film.
As a result of such complete removal of the peel-off film the body of the package is then wide open so that it is not possible to close it, even partially, unless a specific accessory device is used.
Although an arrangement of this kind is strictly satisfactory for packaging individual articles of any kind, to be removed once and for all from the package, the same does not necessarily apply to packaging groups of articles to be removed one by one or in small numbers.
Between two uses all that is needed is a minor incident such as an unfortunate shaking or untimely impact, for example, for certain at least of the articles still in place in the body of the package to escape from it, with the risk that they might be irretrievably lost. In this case, consideration might be given to opening the package only partially so that the peel-off film still covers at least part of the open side of the body of the package, so retaining its contents.
The package described in the aforementioned French Pat. No. 1 580 772 can, strictly speaking, lend itself to such partial opening.
However, apart from the fact that they are not provided for this purpose, the tabs on its peel-off film in practice project beyond the contour of the rim of the body, with the costly consequence of making it necessary to use peel-off films of different size to the body.
At present, failing such projecting tabs, the partial opening of a package of the kind in question can only be achieved more or less clumsily, inevitably to the detriment of its efficacy.
Furthermore, projecting from the surface of the package, the portion of the peel-off film already detached from the body of the package may counteract the required result by itself giving rise to the application of an unfortunate shaking or untimely impact to the package, should it interfere with the path of movement of an operator or moving object.
A general objective of the present invention is an arrangement enabling these disadvantages to be alleviated and conferring further advantages.